


your hand in mine

by Sorbus



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Gerudo Culture, Happy Ending, Marriage, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:42:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27622882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sorbus/pseuds/Sorbus
Summary: Fadhiya and Saba are two Gerudo from two opposite ends of the Gerudo Desert. By fortunate chance, they meet, and love blooms.
Relationships: Original Female Characters/Original Female Characters
Kudos: 15





	your hand in mine

Fadhiya wasn't nervous, she told herself. Really, there was nothing to be nervous about. What she had been waiting for so long, what they had been leading up towards, was coming to fruition.

She and her love, Saba, were getting married. 

She was excited, estastic, even. Fadhiya and Saba were unlikely acquaintances: both of them came from one of the wandering tribes of the Gerudo desert as opposed to a one of the settled groups that occupied Gerudo town. Fadhiya's people skirted the very north-west of Gerudo desert, dipping into the Gerudo highlands come summer and retreating further south come winter. They were one of the hardiest groups of warriors the Gerudo had to offer: constantly fending off the extreme heat and cold, as well as the frequent skirmishes with both the Yiga and the monsters that claimed the highlands as their own. 

Being a Warrior was a noble pursuit, but few ever chose to do it full time, for it was also incredibly dangerous. Fadhiya had earned her own share of scars, that which she bore with honour and pride as proof of her continued existence. 

Saba's clan lived to the south of Gerudo town, much closer to the settlement than many of the nomadic tribes tended to do. They had frequent contact with the people there, and so were frequently called upon to act as messengers to the scattered groups across the desert.

But Saba had not come to her as a messenger. Instead they were borth victim of unfortunate circumstance: some hours before their meeting, a tiny hylian had bought up the majority of the produce at Kara Kara Bazaar. Hot, irritated, and hungry, Fadhiya had made her way to the town itself, only to find a similar situation. A young, blonde hylian had bought up all the food. 

Fadhiya's people were not incompetent, they had survived with little outside help for generations. It was when a particularly cold or hot season struck and the wild fruits withered that they truly ever needed to purchase their food. This year, the monsters had become increasingly agressive. For every full moon which passed after the sudden activity of Hyrule castle, they grew stronger.

No warrior had yet to be lost to their malice but the injured grew more numerous and fewer people were available to hunt or scavenge. Hence why Fadhiya, one to rarely leave her home, had been at the town that day.

They were one of the lucky ones, still. The raging sandstorms of the south-east apparently hid a mechanical beast of old. Last Fadhiya had heard, the groups there were forced to head to Gerudo town itself to seek refuge. 

But the market was bare, either due to the increased population or that small blonde hylian, Fadhiya didn't know. She was more inclined to blame the latter, having stopped at every vendor to be told they were sold out. At the final stall, Fadhiya had to admit that her patience was running low. 

Saba, having finished her own errands, was heading out before she found herself breaking up an imminent fight between Fadhiya and the vendor.

It was not one of Fadhiya's proudest moments. 

"If it's so urgent," Saba said, "you may take half of the food I bought today."

Fadhiya, who had let go of the street vendor by then, turned to fully face this newcomer. She frowned.

"We do not need charity. I can pay for what you offer." 

Saba laughed, waving an arm carelessly as if to wave away the very notion. "It is our sacred duty to help those in need, but no. I was going to simply ask for something else as payment. You see, the paths have become even more dangerous as of late, and the sun is setting. My camp is near here, if you would escort me there unharmed I would gladly part with my food." 

She smiled, eying Fadhya's dress appreciatively. Although she was covered head to toe, her mid-length angrakha worn over plain churidar, Fadhiya found herself blushing. 

"Those are northern clothes," Saba said. "I would be more than surprised if you did not know how to use that scimitar strapped to your waist." 

Fadhiya considered the offer. Her people were not yet in desperate need, but their continued success in one of the tougher areas of the region was due to their tendency to anticipate disaster and prepare for it. Better to have more food than less, despite the trouble of going out of her way. She nodded.

"Very well, I will accompany you." 

"Wonderful!" Saba said, clapping her hands together. "Allow me to gather my shopping." She paused. "Oh, my name is Saba. Sav'aaq." 

"Vasaaq. I am Fadhiya." 

'Shopping' may have a stretch. Saba had some handfuls of voltfruit in a cloth wrap, about fifteen mushrooms alongside it, and three hyrdromelons. Fadhiya frowned at the produce, wordlessly offering to carry the cloth sacks of which she tied to her hip. She did not want to take much food from someone who had bought so little, but she would not do Saba the disservice of doubting her ability to make decisions wisely. If it was offered then it was something she could afford to give. 

As if anticipating Fadhiya's line of thought - or maybe having spotted the frown on her face - Saba smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry. I live close enough by to the market that I may buy food more often and in smaller amounts."

Fadhiya nodded, satisfied. She would have to come back next week to buy food once more, but this would be enough for now. 

As they walked together in pleasant quiet, first through the town and then through the sands, Fadhiya found herself sneaking frequent glances at her companion. Saba wore a lehenga, that which was more popular with the gerudo in town. She had a choli, a short blouse, and wore her large dupatta scarf as a sash around her hip to her shoulder. Her skin was darker than Fadhiya's, but not by much. Her hair was brigher and red, having been bleached by the southern sun. Her eyes were an enchanting, deep brown, framed by thich eyelashes. She wore glinting amber earrings and a number of thin gold bracelets along her wrists. At her hip was a short dagger, sheathed in sturdy brown leather. 

Although she wore sandals, she was keeping pace easily with Fadhiya, who wore the customary sand boots of Gerudo warriors. They were a boon for fighting in the desert, a necessary item for anyone who attempted to do it full time. The Gerudo jealousy guarded the secret to their crafting. 

The company was nice, the night was quiet. Fadhiya could see the distant glow of a tent settlement coming up in the distance. 

Just as she thought it would be an uneventful trip, the quiet crackling of charging electricity reached her ears. She stopped, holding up an arm that quickly stopped Saba in her tracks. 

"Stay back," Fadhiya said, quickly drawing her blade. She pulled it in front of her just in time to block a downward strike from a jagged lizalfos weapon. There were three of them, emerging from the behind dunes around them. Locked in place, she lashed out with a strong, powerful kick that sent it stumbling backwards. Wasting no time, she lunged forwards and speared it clean through on her blade. 

Fadhiya jumped to the side, rolling to avoid the glow of electricity that lit up the evening sky. The second lizalfos had probably hoped to catch her unawares with it's charge attack, but she was no amateur sheild sister. While it was recovering, she darted close and ended it with a singular, powerful slice which cut through it's throat. It made a dying gurgle before disappearing in a haze of dark smoke. 

Where was the third one?

Fadhiya twirled around, fearing the worst of her companion, only to be met with wide eyes of a lizalfos behind her. It's arm was raised to strike, frozen as a dagger, glinting in the low light, tore itself from where it was buried in the beast's neck. In a moment, it too disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Fadhiya was treated to the fierce expression of Saba's face, twisted into a snarl. 

Her heart was pounding, whether from the rush of the fight, or for other reasons, she could not tell. 

Fadhiya grabbed a cloth from her pocket to wipe down her blade. She handed it over to Saba, who nodded her thanks and cleaned her dagger in swift, sure movements. 

"You have my thanks," she said, eventually. 

Saba nodded once. "And you have mine. I would not have fared half as well against three beasts by myself." 

Fadhiya inclined her head in acknowledgement. 

"Let us be on our way, then. We should not test our luck."

Saba shot her a smile. "Indeed." 

They made the final stretch without incident, and soon they were to part. Gerudo passed, eyeing them curiously as Saba entered one of the tents, emerging soon afterwards with a satchel. 

"Your payment, for today," she said, handing it over. Fadhiya took it gladly, feeling no need to check the contents.

"It has been a pleasant evening," she said. 

Saba raised an eyebrow. "Even with the lizalfos?" She asked, playfully. 

Fadhiya smiled. "Even then. I hope we may cross paths again."

"As do I," Saba said. She waved goodbye, entering her tent. Fadhiya was left, standing in the nighttime air, alone. She took a deep breath before turning and making her way back. She had a long trek home. 

They did not meet again the next day, or the day after. It was two weeks layer that Fadhiya returned to Gerudo town. This time, luck was on her side, for it seemed that besides the melon vendor, each stall had not yet been cleared out of all their fresh produce. 

It was only after a long and productive shopping trip that Fadhiya had run into Saba once more. The other women was stressed, her hair mussed and her face twisted in anxiety. 

"Vasaaq!" Fadhiya called out, stopping her in her tracks. "What disaster has befallen to agitate you so?"

Saba approached her, tension painted in every line of her posture. 

"My sister's intended has collapsed of heat and thirst in the eastern desert. I must quickly return with some hyrdromelons." 

Fadhiya frowned, feeling genuinely regretful to be the bearer of bad news. "I'm afraid they're all out. The last of them sold before I had arrived here."

"That can't be so! I have just come from Kara Kara Bazaar, and they too have no more melons." Saba's face twisted in distress. "Oh what to do?"

Fadhiya thought. Each clan had their own territory, and it was bad form to harvest food from another's without true need. Fadhiya thought this constituted as 'true need'. 

"Very well. I know of a patch of hydromelons that grow not far from here. But we must be careful, for they are nearby to a camp of monsters."

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" 

"It is our duty to help where we can," Fadhiya responded simply. 

Securing her produce tightly in wrapped cloths and sacks, Fadhiya hoisted them onto her back, and swiftly left the main entrance to the town, nodding at the guards as she passed. Saba kept pace, whether with ease or not, she did not complain at their speed over the sands. Upon exiting the town Fadhiya immediately veered left, aiming towards a crumbling stone structure. 

Hydromelons were more numerous in the north of the desert, where cooler temperatures and greater shade allowed them to thrive. The wind scattered their seeds everywhere however, so knowledge of the whereabouts of a growing patch was always soon outdated. Fadhiya had seen these growing in the distance on her way to town that morning, and had made note of it to explore later on. 

Soon they got close to the structure, and Fadhiya slowed.

"We must remain silent," she said. Saba nodded. They crept along the sides of the ruins, encountering only one lizalfos that was quickly dispatched from behind. Soon they came upon a patch of two melons, round and plump within the sand. 

"Oh thank the stars," Saba said, voice full of relief. She made to hold them in an arm apiece, and Fadhiya found herself pulling off her scarf from her head without thought. 

"Use this to secure them to you." 

"You have my thanks," Saba said, reaching out to take it. Their hands met, briefly in the middle. Fadhiya coughed, and looked away. 

"I'm afraid I cannot accompany you home," she said. "People are awaiting the food I will bring."

"You have done more than enough to help," Saba replied, sincerely. "I will be fine." She smiled, tapping the dagger that lay at her hip. Fadhiya nodded. 

"Until next time." Saba said, and then she was gone.

Fadhiya adjusted her luggage, before she too left to make her way home. Along the way her thoughts didn't stray far from the other woman, or the sight of her parting smile. 

Two days later, Fadhiya recieved a letter. She passed the messenger a handful of rupees, her eyes trained on the neatly folded scarf and letter which accompanied it. She grabbed a dagger and opened the letter's seal. 

_Vasaaq Fadhiya_ , it read in neat, swooping letters. _This is Saba. I have enclosed your scarf to the messenger to be returned, I hope it finds you well._

_My soon-to-be brother in law is fine, with no small thanks to your contribution. The experience may have taught him a valuable lesson about the desert, and I feel like he and my sister have gotten closer over the incident._

_You must allow me to repay you. It is twice now that you have saved me a great amount of trouble. If you are amenable, I will be at Gerudo town in three days time, in the afternoon. I hope that I will see you there!_

_Yours, Saba._

And that was how it started. 

One outing became two. An evening in the shade of the trees at Kara Kara, a pleasant walk in the early morning chill. They were exchanging letters regularly, not two days going by without a reply. These interactions soon became the highlight of Fadhiya's week. She had spent some of her few rupees on buying more paper even, having used more in those weeks than in the whole year beforehand. 

Fadhiya's eyes were a simple hazel, the colour of the dry rocks that dotted their home. In her latest letter, Saba had enclosed a pair of topaz earings of which she had saved for, as a gift. 

_To bring out that wonderful golden hue of your eyes,_ she had written. 

Fadhiya could feel the warmth in her cheeks, and had to fight not to hide her face in her scarf. She would need something nice to wear with them, but already she treasured the small, yellow gems. 

_P.S_., the letter said. _These gems will grant you a minor resistance to electricity. You are a competent warrior and I trust that you'll use them well._

"When are you going to propose?" A deep, amused voice came from her left. Fadhiya spun around.

"Baba!" 

Her father smiled, reaching up to pat her on the shoulder. "I cannot tell what is written in that letter, my child. But I recognize that expression. It was the same one I wore whenever I looked at your mama."

Fadhiya smiled. Her parents love for each other were evident in everything they did together. Growing up, Fadhiya had admired it greatly.

"Are you sure, Baba?" She asked. 

"Absolutely," he replied. "Anyone who brings such joy to my child's face is someone I would be glad to welcome into our family. Your mama would say the same." 

Fadhiya thought about it. She thought about their walks together, both the quiet company and their pleasant conversations. She thought about their letters over the months, each bringing another glimpse into Saba's life further south. Fadhiya knew the names of Saba's siblings, her parents. She knew about their travelling routes, the rock formation that Saba had nicknamed as a child and continued to wave in greeting to as an adult. She thought about Saba's laugh, the happy crinkle around her eyes when she smiled. She thought about the bright glint of the sun in Saba's hair. Thinking back, Fadhiya thought of the fierce twist to Saba's expression the night they met: the low light of the setting sun throwing her face half into shadow, the sure twist of her hand with the blade. 

As she thought, Fadhiya came to a decision. 

Typically, the Gerudo did not propose to each other with items. Among the Rito, an exchange of feathers were common. Rumours were that the Zora crafted armour made from their very own scales. Marriage among the Gorons did not occur in any way that was familiar to her. The Hylians had all sorts of rituals, some would present a ring, some would hunt for a particular flower. 

Most Gerudo would simply ask. For Fadhiya and her tribe, the question would often be presented with proof of intent, that is, the spoils of a monster slain in the name of their intended. 

Lizalfos horns were common enough, especially for the many who were not fully fledged warriors. Some of the younger couples might have used keese wings, not as sure in their own fighting prowess. A more impressive spoil was the tooth of a hinox, which slept in the highlands they resided in come summer. Tales were told of an old clan chief, who had fought and won against a Lynel for her beloved. 

It was winter now, and many of their more dangerous foes lay at a higher altitude, inaccessible to her until the warmer months. Fadhiya was a warrior, mere lizalfos horns would not do for a proposal. 

Luckily there was but one beast still accessible to her. 

In a patch of flat sand directly south to where her tribe lived, lay the hunting grounds of a molduga. 

Fadhiya, some time after her discussion with her father, took to her room to prepare. Her long, dark hair was swiftly plaited and tucked out of the way. Her sturdy armoured jacket was laced up tightly. She picked a slightly older pair of sand boots, their thinner sole would allow her to feel the movement of the sands more readily. 

She grabbed her sword as she left, strapping it to her side, and tucking a smaller blade alongside it. The molduga was not an easy fight, but she would make it out alive. 

The grounds were deceptively quiet, as Fadhiya approached. She knew that silence was a trap, one easily broken by the roar of a hungry molduga. 

She stepped forward, continuing to walk in sure and steady paces until she was at there centre of the arena. 

She stopped. 

Ever so slightly, the sand rumbled. Quietly, but unmistakable. It shifted more and more, faster and faster, getting closer, until-

Now!

Fadhiya lept to the side, rolling twice, a spray of sand bursting into the air where she had stood before, the wide gaping maw of a molduga following it. Leaping up, she grabbed her sword and buried it into its side, holding tightly as to not lose it as the momentum of the beast carried it upwards. The sword left a long gash in its side, the smell of its blood blooming to life, strong and potent. Good. She had done a decent amount of damage.

Before the peak of it's ascent, Fadhiya yanked her sword free and set off running. Soon it would descend, aiming towards her. She got a good distance away before it lept back under the sand, but not far enough that the impact sent her sprawling. She could feel her skin scraping on the hot grains of rock beheath her, but it was not to time to relax. 

She had to strike again. 

Once more, in position. Her breath, heavy from exertion, filling the quiet air with its sounds. Wait for it. Wait for it. 

Wait.

For.

 _Now!_

Leaping once more, Fadhiya buried her sword into its side again, grabbing her dagger to use as well. Soon she had to let go of the dagger, abandoning it in favour of holding on to her sword with two hands in order to stop it from slipping from her grasp. 

She pulled it out sooner than last time, but still found herself stumbling at force of the impact at its re-entry to the ground. 

Fadhiya was panting, taking in heavy laboured breaths. All forms of combat was less fanciful, less dramatic than what the average person may assume. It was draining enough to fight a regular battle, and was usually resolved within the first few strikes. Under the burning heat of the desert sun, with her very footholds working against her, Fadhiya was quickly tiring. She needed to end this soon.

But it would only take one more strike. 

Running to another spot, she readied herself, and steeled the nerves that would push her to flee too early. _Not yet_ , she told herself.

The molduga was more erratic, easily trackable by the sand it displaced in its mad dash under the ground. It too, would be gearing up for the final strike. She would not let it take it from her. 

There was a heartbeat, a moment where the timing of her jump would determine the outcome of this fight: whether she would be triumphant, or failed. 

She inhaled deeply, tracking the shifting sands with her eyes. 

One breath.

Two.

Three.

She jumped.

Immediately she knew her timing was impeccable, and for the third time that fight, she stabbed the molduga, tearing a long gash in its side. It let out a long, drawn out wail and flopped onto the sand, no longer with the energy to burrow. It too knew that it had lost.

With one swift movement, Fadhiya tore her blade from its side and walked around to its face. Its beady eyes were staring back at her. It had been a worthy opponent. She offered it the courtesy of looking it straight back into its eyes while she raised her blade and stabbed it clean through its skull. 

Fadhiya let herself fall backwards onto the sand, exhausted. Absentmindedly, she wiped her blade clean, watching as the molduga corpse blackened before disappearing into smoke. Left behind were a number of fins, and one pair of guts. Perfect.

Although she wished to rest, the goods would spoil quickly, and scavengers were ever abound and waiting for their next meal. It would not do to have gone to all that trouble just to have to do it all over again. 

Quickly, she scooped up her rewards and started the trek back to her tents. She was limping only slightly, having scraped a knee on a stray rock, but overall she was unharmed. 

Upon her arrival she beseeched to talk to one of the younger members, a girl by the name of Toral.

"Vasaaq, Toral." 

Toral, only coming up to the second decade of life, smiled back, nervous. 

"Vasaaq, Fadhiya. Did you need me for something?"

"I would ask a favour of you, if you please." 

Less nervous, Toral perked up and nodded. "Which favour?" She asked. 

"You are aware of the tribe just south of the town, yes? They are headed by the elder Ayema. Do you know of it?" 

Toral's face brightened. "Yes! My friend Fara comes from that clan." 

Fadhiya raised an eyebrow. How those two must've met was beyond her, but it did not interest her. "Please deliver to them a message. I would like to meet Saba at Kara Kara Bazaar at her earliest convenience. It is urgent." 

Fadhiya paused, deliberating, before she shifted the cloth in her hands to reveal the molduga guts. Toral's face lit up, and she clapped her hands in joy.

"Congratulations! Oh do not worry, I will make sure Saba gets there, guaranteed!" 

Fadhiya nodded. "My thanks. Ah, wait," she said, stopping Toral who had almost immediately set out to leave. She rummaged around in her boot before pulling free a twenty rupee gem. She threw it lightly at Toral who caught it.

"For your trouble."

"Thank you!" Toral exclaimed, even more excited. Fadhiya held back a smile. Young ones were always eager for pocket money, their fancies flitting from one trend to the next. It was the least she could do. 

Toral left speedily, and Fadhiya resolutely ignored her mutter of "wait until Fara hears this." She sighed, youths. 

Now Fadhiya was faced with a limited time to get ready, having no doubts that Toral would follow through. First, she dealt with the guts, hunting down a small jar to store them in. If she chose one of the more decorated jars for it, well that was between her and the guts. 

Next she cleaned herself, washing the blood and grime off her hands and arms, before carefully washing out her scrapes. She bandaged the one on her knee, and left the rest of the minor cuts uncovered. Her clothes were dusty, and heavy with the sweat of her exertion from fighting. She had to change. Briefly, she considered wearing some other style of dress, something prettier, before dismissing the notion. She would present herself as she was. 

She grabbed the topaz earings however, slipping them delicately into each ear. 

As ready as she ever would be, Fadhiya wrapped the jar of guts and set it carefully into her pack. She strapped her customary blade to her hip before setting out.

It did not take her too long to arrive at the Bazaar, but Fadhiya could already see Saba by the water, anxiously looking around her. _Toral works quick_ , she thought, as Saba caught sight of her and pounced. 

"Fadhiya! By the gods, I was worried. A member of your clan said to come quickly and- are you, are you injured?" She asked, noticing the scrapes on Fadhiya's face.

"Merely a scratch," Fadhiya said, dismissive. "Come, I have something to show you."

Saba nodded, still anxious. Fadhiya herself was anxious as she led them to the shade behind the inn for some semblance of privacy. 

Grabbing the wrapped jar from her sack, Fadhiya tried to think of something to say. What had her parents done? Words suddenly had somehow escaped her. 

"Here," she said, finally. 

Saba carefully took the bundle, unwrapping the jar inside. Curiosity, she peered inside. 

Fadhiya jumped at Saba's startled exclamation, quickly cupping the other woman's hands in order to stop her from dropping their precious cargo. All at once her face flushed darkly as she realized how out of place this would seem.

"Uhm. Well- within my clan we have a tradition." She found herself stumbling over her words for the first time. "When one wishes to propose to another, they will fight a beast and present it to their intended." 

Grasping Saba's hands more firmly, jar still between them, Fadhiya pulled her closer. She looked firmly into the eyes of the woman who had stolen her heart. "Would you do me the honour of allowing me to be your wife?" 

Saba stared back, overwhelmed, before her eyes slowly drifted back to the jar and the guts within. "You fought a molduga for me?" She asked. 

Fadhiya blushed, and apparently that was answer enough. Saba smiled widely, her delight overtaking her whole face and transforming it to something even more beautiful. She was transcendent, stunning. Fadhiya wished to wake to sight of her face for every day that she lived. 

"Yes! By the moon and stars, of course you silly, dramatic, wonderful woman!" 

Fadhiya could feel her own smile overtaking her face as joy filled her being. Setting the jar down behind her, she pulled Saba into a fierce embrace. Saba held her back just as fiercely, laughing all the while. 

Fadhiya held her tightly, and her heart was full. 

Now one may think there wasn't a great amount of variance between the Gerudo. On a basic level, that was correct: their core beliefs, values, and lifestyles were similar. But the desert was large, and with various groups living in their own little corner of the world, some differences arose. For Fadhiya and Saba, this was in the wedding ceremony itself, or rather, a very important pre-wedding ceremony.

The mehndi ceremony was an essential part of a wedding. Saba's clan put more emphasis on the decoration of the bride for marriage, with heavy embroidered shawls and glinting gold jewellery. On the morning of the day before the wedding, the bride's intended would use the paste of the henna plant to paint her skin with beautiful art. 

It was a sign of utmost dedication. Many gerudo women married outsider men, unfamiliar with their culture. From the onset of his proposal, a hopeful groom would have only a short time to trek to the eastern oasis to pluck the henna shrub. When it was sun dried and ground finely, it could be mixed into a paste that would be piped onto the skin and dye it. If he was true in his love for his bride, it is believed that he would practice diligently over the month between proposal and marriage. It would be up to him to complete the bride's wedding decoration by using the very henna paste he had made himself. 

Fadhiya was not an outsider, but her tribe did not practice mehndi in the same manner that Saba's did. The elderly members would use the plant to dye their white hair a bright red sometimes. Their sister tribe that resided in the south-west of the desert would use it to colour the fingers and toes of married women, and some of the younger girls in Fadhiya's home were following the trend. 

_By the moon and stars_ , Fadhiya thought, imagining the ways she would mess up her own wedding. _Let me fight another molduga_.

The journey to the eastern oasis and back had been no hardship, Fadhiya was used to traversing the desert. Upon her arrival back, Saba had shyly presented to her the horn of an electric lizalfos, the faint charred marks around its edge denoting it as such. 

"It is not nearly as impressive as a molduga I'm afraid," she had said, teasingly. Fadhiya treasured it all the same, touched at the effort expended for her, and kept the horn in a wooden box by her bed. 

Making the henna paste was no true hardship either. Saba's young sister had been more than happy to help show her how.

It was the design that Fadhiya was worried about. It would be up to her to finish Saba's outfit for their wedding with mehndi that was beautiful and intricate. Although she had a steady hand, Fadhiya did not particularly think of herself as well acquainted with beautiful things, her time in Saba's presence notwithstanding. 

Still she had consulted various Gerudo women, both from Saba's tribe and from around the town, before she finally decided on a design. Then she had spent her free time up until the day before their wedding practising it, eager to make sure that everything went wonderfully in the day of their union. 

Now, in the low light of the tent they had commandeered, Fadhiya was unsure she could do her intended any justice. Saba looked radiant, joy gracing every feature of her face. A thin, black eyeliner drew attention to the beautiful glittering darkness of her deep brown eyes, and the pink of her lipstick made Fadhiya abruptly wish that they were not within company. She wore a light green lehenga, that paired well with Fadhiya's own pale yellow salwar kameez. She was sitting on a pile of pillows, her arms and feet bare, and the piping bags of henna set besides her. She extended an arm in welcome. 

Fadhiya was left breathless. It was like looking at the sun.

She made her way over, scarcely remembering to mind her head on the tent opening. Fadhiya's hair was loose around her, and as was now her custom, she wore the topaz earings Saba had gotten her. They were not alone: within the tent, lit by half a dozen lanterns, their closest friends and family were mingling. Fadhiya could see her own mother chatting heartily away, and spared only the briefest worry over what embarrassing story she may share before her attention was brought back towards her intended. 

Saba smiled, and Fadhiya's heart skipped a beat. 

Typically the mehndi was applied to both hands and feet, and took hours to stain the skin with a rich colour. Since they wanted to do it for each other, they had to compromise so that the paste was not smeared or cracked while drying. Fadhiya would decorate Saba's forearms and hands, and Saba would decorate Fadhiya's shin to her feet. Their friends would complete the designs afterwards. The cut of her salwar ended at her knees for this exact reason. 

Saba was to go first, and so Fadhiya set herself onto a low stool and extended her legs out in front of her. She jumped at the first touch of Saba's hand on her skin, but soon relaxed, mesmerized by the sure, confident movements of Saba's hands as she prepped the henna and started to pipe. 

She started at Fadhiya's shin, making her way downwards. It was almost ticklish, the thin, delicate lines that were drawn onto her skin. Soon Fadhiya found herself distracted by the unfolding design, a lovely, geometric pattern was being piped just above her ankles. It had crisscrossing lines, that were soon accompanied by small dots in between them. Multiple small arches were drawn to boarder the design, leading to a large, semicircular flower that extended up towards her shin. Each pass over the design made it more elaborate, adding more and more detail. Upon the crest of her feet Saba drew a circular pattern, adding layer after layer in an intricate floral design. Upon her toes Saba drew delicate creeping vines, each sporting a number of almond shaped leafs and surrounded by small, decorative dots. It was art in motion, seeing Saba create it from start to finish. 

"Let's leave it for a little while," Saba said. "It will dry a little."

Fadhiya nodded, settling into her stool to wait. She reached out, palm open. Saba slipped her hand into Fadhiya's, and squeezed lightly.

"Nervous?" She asked. 

"Only a little," Fadhiya replied. "I want to make it worth your while." 

Saba laughed. "I knew you were worth my time since the moment I laid eyes on you."

Fadhiya almost swallowed her tongue, embarrassment and pleased delight warring within her. 

"I know you are worth whatever time I have 'til my final breath," she eventually said, voice quiet. 

Saba shot her an incredibly fond look. 

They sat in pleasant silence, the low murmur of voices washing over them. Bowls of nuts and dried fruit dotted the tent around them, and Fadhiya found herself snacking on them as both friends and family came forth to give their well wishes and congratulations. All too soon, Saba turned towards her.

"I think enough time has passed, don't you?"

Fadhiya nodded wordlessly. A friend brought to them a higher chair that Fadhiya carefully transferred herself to, making sure that none of the design on her legs and feet cracked and fell off. Saba took the stool she had previously occupied, sitting in front of her and raising her arms to present her hands. 

Fadhiya grasped the small piping bag of henna. She hesitated for a moment, almost unsure how to start, before sight of Saba's smile had her shucking off the last of her worries. 

The skin of Saba's forearm was smooth and supple. Fadhiya found herself brushing her fingers over it, mindful of the small hitch in Sabazs breathing. 

She started with a large circle, just above the wrist. Another, smaller circle drawn, slightly behind the first. Then a a two curved lines on top of that circle, coming from behind it to form a pointed arch. 

Fadhiya found herself working quickly, her hours of practice coming into play. She drew border after border of elaborate design, filling the circles and arches with tiny geometric patterns, and then filling the blank spaces with little regular dots. She piped futher up the arm, drawing another arch whose point ended in a series of dots that faded into nothingness. She worked her way downwards then, drawing another arch, then a circle coming out from behind it, filling those with patterns as she went along.

Eventually she came to Saba's fingers, and allowed herself a moment to trail her hand over them meaningfully. She decorated the fingertips heavily, with curving lines that left ontly small pockets of space that she filled with tiny diamonds. She left more blank space around the lower half of the fingers, instead depicting trailing vines that curved around each other but never fully touched. 

After one hand was done, it was easy work to fill the other. In the quiet between them, there was only the sounds of their steady breaths and the repetitive movement of Fadhiya's hands at work. It felt like they were the only two in the room, lost endlessly in each other's company. As she built the design stroke by stroke, Fadhiya felt like she was simultaneously building the foundation for their future together. 

Then she was done. Saba took her hands back, looking over the designs painted upon them. Fadhiya too looked over the designs, but with a critical eye. They had turned out well, perhaps.

"Do you like it?" She asked, voice low. In some sense Fadhiya felt like she was asking about more than the mehndi. _Do you like it? Do you like me, do you like what I have to offer? It is all I have but I will offer it gladly, for you._

Saba turned her face so their eyes met. There were tears within them, but her lips were raised in a happy smile. She looked at Fadhiya like someone seeing the sunrise for the very first time.

"I love it." 

**Author's Note:**

> local lesbian proposes with monster guts, more at 2pm
> 
> please leave a comment or kudos if you liked it!


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